Garrett m



(No Model.)

GMM. KIRWIN.

BACK BAND FOR HARNESS.

No. 591,258. Patented Oct. 5,1897.

GARRE'IT M. KIRW'BN, OF N'EWPQRT, RHODE ISLAND..

BAC K-JBAN of FofR HAR NiEss.

SPECFICATIONforming partof Letters` '.l?.a,t.e11tNo.l 591,258, dated October 5, 1897. Application iileddiune 119, 18961 SerialNb. 596,180) (Nomodel.)

To o/ZZ whom t mayoria/@Wm Beit known that I, G ARRETT` Ml KIRWIN,a citizen of the United States, resifdingfat Newport, in the county of Newport and State of" Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Back-Band for Harness, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto back-bandsforharness; and the object in view is to provide in; connection witha harness-saddle an improved back-band which isadapted to yield under moderate strains applied to either shaft of a vehicle without displacing the body porti-on of the back-band and which is also adapted to slide longitudinallyon the saddle whenone of the shafts is subjected to. an excessive strain to avoid displacement ofthe saddle or breakage of any of the connections.

In carrying out my invention I have devised a back-band of elastic construction which is extendedcontinuously over the saddle and is adapted to slide longitudinally thereover; but in order to prevent the shifting of the back-band when subjected to only a moderate strain at one end, as by the weight of the occupant of a vehicle being thrown upon one of the shafts, I have adopted' a band of frictional oradhesive material which is maintained in lits normal position when subjected to onliy moderate strains by frictional contact with the saddle. That material which I have found to be efficient,in that it is adapted tocarry out the functions above mentioned, is rubber, and in practice I have found it desirable to use a continuous rubber back-band connected terminally with the tug-loops.

Myinvention 4is more fully described hereinafter in connection with the drawings, and the novel features thereof are specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a back-band constructed in accordance with my invention applied in the operative position to a harness-saddle and having terminally-attached loops for supporting the thills. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of-the same. Fig. 3 is a'transverse section through one of the back-band guides.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawmgs. l

The harness-saddle l is provided with ceni i l traland side back-band guides 2, so constructed as to allow longitudinal play of Athe flat back-band 5 without permitting lateral displacement, the side guides being heldin place bysuitable fastening devices 3, of which those contiguous to one edge of the saddle are constructedto form terret-rings. The side guides i are recessed, as shown at 4,' to form openings of greatercross-sectional area than the ba`ckband to` facilitate sliding movement of the latter;

In the construction illustrated the backband consists of a cross-sectionallyat band of rubber terminally looped, as shown at 6, and extending continuously over the saddle through said central and side guides 2, anyV suitable means being employed for connecting the tug-loops 7 with said looped extremities of the back-band- That portion of the l back-band which extends over the saddle from a point ashort distance below one of the side guides to a corresponding point at the oppoy"site side `is in contact with the surface of the l saddle, while the terminal portions of the back-band are deiiected slightly from the surface of the saddle and are free to be moved llaterally to suit the interval between the j shafts.

Thus while the terminal portions of the back-band are free for lateral movement that portion which lies between the side guides is held in contact with the surface of thesaddie, and in case of longitudinal movement of the. back-band' such movement must be ac` complished in opposition to the frictional' contact of the back-band with the saddle. Hence when in use a moderate strain applied to either of the shafts of a vehicle will be absorbed by the elasticity of the band, thus causing an extension `of the contiguous de flected terminal portion of said band without longitudinally changing theposition of the band upon the saddle, whereas excessive strain applied to either of the shafts, such as under ordinary circumstances would displace the saddle or injure the connections between the parts of the harness, will cause the backband to slide longitudinally through the guides on the saddle. l

It is obvious that -if the elasticity of Vthe terminal portions of the back-band is to be utilized solely in relieving jars applied to the shafts of a vehicle connected therewith an ex- IOO cessive strain applied to one of the shafts would be liable to strain the elasticity of the band and thus result in a permanent injury,

thereto, and, on the other hand, if the sliding quality of the band were to be utilized solely as a means of relieving strains applied to the shafts each application of pressure to a shaft would displace the back-band upon the saddle. Furthermore, a non-elastic back-band mounted to slide longitudinally over or through the saddle would not be adapted to relieve strains applied to both shafts simultaneously.; but by employing an elastic or extensible back-band slidingly mounted upon the saddle I am enabled to compensate for moderate jars applied to either one or both shafts by the elasticity of the band, while excessive strains are adapted to cause the longitudinal shifting of the back-band to avoid displacement or breakage.

Obviously the elasticity of a terminal portion of the band could not be utilized in a back-band mounted to slide longitudinally over the saddle without means being provided to resist the sliding movement under ordinary circumstances or when the band is subjected to moderate strains, and hence, as above indicated, I have found the rubber back-band preferable for the purpose, the frictional or adhesive quality of the band when held in contact with the surface of the saddle for a considerable distance, as between the side guides 2, serving to hold the band at its central portion in its normal position in opposition to moderate strains. Obviously the amount of resistance offered to the shifting of the back-band may be varied by varying the positions of the side guides, for the reason that said resistance will be increased as the exten tof the contacting surfaces of the back-band and saddle is increased.

The greatest utility of the improved backband is in connection with harness employed for vehicles, such as milk-wagons and the like, from and to which the driver is continuously dismounting and returning, as in delivering merchandise to customers, and the result of this continual straining of the shafts, unless provision is made for relieving the strain, is to cause soreness of the back of the horse, due to t-he slight lateral shifting of the saddle. With the construction illustrated, however, this tendency to shift the saddle is wholly absorbed by the back-band, and hence the animal is relieved of the inconvenience above mentioned.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination with a saddle, of a continuous elastic back-band extending over and mounted to slide longitudinally upon the saddle and adapted for terminal attachment to thill-supports, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a saddle, of a longitudinally-elastic rubber back-band extending continuously over and mounted to slide longitudinally upon the saddle, and adapted for terminal attachment to thill-supports,substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a saddle, of a longitudinally-elastic back-band of frictional or adhesive material, extending over and mounted to slide longitudinally upon the saddle and having attached thill supports, and side guides on the saddle for holding the central portion of the back-band in frictional cont-act with the surface of the saddle, to prevent longitudinal shifting of the back-band when subjected to moderate longitudinal strains, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with a saddle having guides, of a longitudinally elastic rubber back-band extending over and mounted to slide longitudinally upon the saddle, and having frictional or adhesive contact therewith at its center, to prevent longitudinal shifting of the back-band when subjected to moderate strains, said back-band having terminally-attached thill-supports, substantially as specified.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GARRETT M. KIRVIN.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. JENNINGS, JOHN RILEY. 

